Only Resort
by blue.skies.2010
Summary: "She was fairly certain they were in the middle of a row – although they'd been having so many recently that it was hard to keep track of where one ended and another began – and so she was determined not to be the first one to speak."


A/N: This story takes place during 6th year - a different take on Ron/Hermione's storyline (no Lav-Lav). Enjoy!

**Only Resort**

Hermione bit back a smile as Ron fell unceremoniously into the chair next to her, groaning. Returning her attention to her essay, she tried to focus on the constant scribbling of her quill and not the boy sitting beside her. She was fairly certain they were in the middle of a row – although they'd been having so many recently that it was hard to keep track of where one ended and another began – and so she was determined not to be the first one to speak. This did not stop the flutter in her stomach caused by his proximity, nor the quickening of her heartbeat.

Finally, after ten minutes or so of too-long silence, Hermione glanced over at Ron, noticing with a faint blush that he was studying her intently. "What is it, then?" She asked, setting her quill down and leaning back to return Ron's gaze.

This move seemed to startle Ron out of his reverie, and he blinked twice. "Erm…what?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You were staring," she said flatly, secretly enjoying the flush that began at his ears and was spreading to his face.

"Was not," He tried weakly, and then they both looked down, blushing.

"Are we still in a fight?" Ron asked nervously, moments later, seeming to have regained some control over the color in his face.

Hermione looked at him curiously. "I think so…I just can't quite remember what about."

"Same here," Ron grinned, sticking out his hand, "However, I think it's fair to assume it was my fault, and I would like to offer my sincerest apologies."

Hermione took his hand with much surprise, laughing as he shook it over-exaggeratedly, and replied with a pleasant, "Apology accepted, Mr. Weasley."

"Good," Ron smiled again, and he slowly – almost regretfully – retracted his hand from Hermione's.

Hermione watched him for a second, and realized he was no longer looking at her – he was staring off into the distance – and so she logically assumed that he had accomplished all he intended to, and that their conversation was over. Hermione huffed and grabbed her quill, leaning back over to resume her essay.

After many moments of courage-gathering, Ron felt himself prepared to say to Hermione what he'd been trying to say for the past two months. However, he was less than satisfied when he returned his gaze to the brunette and realized she was ignoring him completely, in favor of her studies. Again.

"Why do you always do that?" He snapped immediately, without thinking.

Hermione flinched. "Do what, Ron?" She questioned without looking up, which only further incensed Ron.

"Ignore me when I'm trying to talk to you."

Hermione looked up now, exhaling slowly, and met Ron's steady glare. "Couldn't go two minutes without starting another row, could we, Ronald? I don't understand – you made this special effort to come and apologize to me, and now you want to start fighting over nothing?"

"It's not nothing!" Ron countered emphatically. Hermione scoffed and made a move to return to the essay, and Ron's hand immediately shot out to grab hers. They both seemed momentarily stunned at the contact, and shockingly, neither made a move to end it.

"Look, I don't want to fight," Ron began, and Hermione merely stared, a faint blush creeping onto her pale cheeks, again. "I just – I'm so frustrated!" Ron ran his free hand through his already messy hair.

"With what? I swear, it's like you're having mood swings! One moment we're fighting, the next everything's fine, then suddenly we're fighting again, and then you don't want to be fighting…I don't know how to respond to you!"

"Yeah, and like I know how to deal with you? See – _that's_ the problem. I don't know what else to do!" Ron was staring at her with wide and imploring eyes, and Hermione had to repress a shudder.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked quietly.

"I mean…I mean, I've been trying so hard to find the right time. But you didn't want to go the first Hogsmeade weekend because of all the 'homework', so that plan feel apart. And I'm on the team now, so going to a Quidditch match wouldn't work, and besides, we do that all the time. And then, it's not like there's any balls or dances or parties this year. So really, Hermione, when am I supposed to do it?"

"Wait…what?"

"Exactly! There's no _opportunity_! And then, when I try to create one, all you do is ignore me!"

"Ron…what on earth are you going on about?"

"Like you don't know."

"How could I possibly know what you're talking about? You're just going on about random things! Quidditch? Hogsemeade?…Balls?…oh."

Ron's ears turned bright red as Hermione finally understood what he was saying. "Yeah."

"Ron, you don't need an event to—"

"I'm well aware of that! But before I can get a word in edgewise, you start lecturing me on my assignments, or telling me you're 'too busy' to chat just now, or distracting me with chocolate, or going on and on about _Spew_, or…"

"Oh, but _Ron_."

"But _nothing_, Hermione. I've been trying for ages to prove that you're…well, that you're not, you know…my 'last resort'." At this point, Ron was flushing scarlet and barely sputtering out his words, and all Hermione could do was stare in shock. "I mean, you're my first reso—my only resort…you're…the whole…hotel chain. No that's stupid, that's not what I mean…it's just that, you're just…amazing, and…" And now Ron's eyes snapped back to hers, and some of that fire she was so used to was returning.

"And you won't let me do it right! Hermione, I want you to go with me to Hogsmeade, and I want you to come watch my Quidditch matches, and just for the record, if there are any balls or parties or dances, I want you to come with me. I want us to go together." He paused, resolved. "You know what? I am reserving you as my date for all future scenarios where a date would be required. Okay? Okay." Ron nodded the affirmative, though Hermione had yet to move. And with that, he lost steam, and suddenly became very interested in his shoes. "So that's…that."

They sat there, in an awkwardly comfortable silence that they were both terrified of breaking, for quite some time. Ron's face had yet to return to a normal color, and he hadn't looked at Hermione for three whole minutes. If he had, he might have noticed the giddy grin that she was trying desperately to control as she wracked her brains for the proper way to respond to such a speech.

Neither noticed when Harry plopped into the chair beside them, nor did they look up as he greeted them cheerfully, having just returned from a nice stroll with Ginny.

"What're you grinning so madly about, Hermione?" Harry asked, cocking his head curiously.

Now _this_ got Ron's attention. His head shot up as he turned to Hermione, who was reddening by the second and _still_ couldn't wipe the smile off of her face.

"I, uhm," Hermione began, looking determinedly at Harry, and not at Ron, whose eyes were dancing with hope and anticipation. "Right, well, Ron…he…and then…I…" Hermione trailed off as Harry's expression turned from amusement to slight concern, and she blushed furiously. "Right! Well then, I best be off. There's this, um, book, I've been meaning to…yes…library…"

And with that, she was gone. Harry and Ron just stared at each other: Harry thoroughly confused, and Ron busy wondering if he was meant to follow or not. Just as Harry was about to ask Ron what the bloody hell was going on, Ron got his answer – Hermione's head popped back through the portrait hole, and in a very high-pitched voice she reminded Ron that he had a Charms essay due in two days, and he may want to look up some figures _in the library_.

"Think she's gone barmy?" Harry asked, chuckling in bewilderment, as he turned to face his best friend. Only, Ron was no longer there – in fact, he was already half way out the portrait hole.

Quickly glancing behind him as he exited the common room, Ron began the shockingly familiar path to the library at an impressive pace. Before he could even contemplate what exactly would happen next, someone grabbed his arm and forcefully pulled him into an empty classroom.

And there stood Hermione, pink-faced and grinning just as madly as she had been in the common room. "Hi," she whispered, almost shyly as the door swung shut behind them.

"This…er, isn't the library," Ron answered, clearly flustered, which caused Hermione to simultaneously smile wider and roll her eyes.

"I thought this might be better for…" She trailed off, and uncertainty flickered briefly in her eyes. Ron's hand shot out and found hers, and all doubt vanished from her mind.

"For what, now?" Ron asked teasingly as he pulled her closer to him, his smile now matching hers.

She laughed softly as his arms wrapped around her waste, and her own wound around his neck.

"Maybe for this," Ron murmured, answering his own question before closing the distance between their lips. And one thing was certain from that point on – Hermione was indeed Ron's _only_ resort, and the feeling was most certainly mutual.


End file.
